There are books meant to guide us, and books to make us laugh, and rarely do they go hand-in-hand. At least, not until founder and CEO of Chic Media Rachel Hollis came along. Her latest book, Girl, Wash Your Face (by the way, this is excellent advice) is a best seller, stories from Hollis’ own life giving new layers of understanding and compassion for those moments we all seem to fall into, but can never seem to get ourselves out of.

Funny, clever and witty with an abundance of compassion and honesty, Rachel Hollis is definitely the one woman you want giving you advice. BookTrib sat down with Rachel for a quick Q&A about inspiration, writing mindsets, upcoming books, and more!

BookTrib: What was it that first made you want to write Girl, Wash Your Face?

Rachel Hollis: I wanted women to understand how strong they are: that they have the power to change their life for the better at any moment. I also understood that readers were less likely to believe that was true unless I told them about my own life, the struggles I faced and the things I did to change myself for the better.

BookTrib: Not only in your book, but on your website, TheChicSite.com, you write with such wit, but also honesty – when you’re sitting down to write, what’s the process you go through to get into that mindset?

RH: Often times I’m just writing about something I’ve been thinking on or working on in my own life. Any kind of suffering (anxiety, frustration, anger, etc) always has a root cause, so I’m constantly trying to unpack why I may be feeling a certain way, or why something has become a trigger. I don’t sit down and think through what I’m going to write about, I tend to just write about what I’m processing. Because life is hard and hilarious and sad and frustrating, that’s what my writing is. Life is ALL the things so my writing is ALL the things as well.

BookTrib: I just really want to talk about the title for a minute: ‘Girl, Wash Your Face’ is not only funny, it’s such great advice! When you were thinking of a title, how did this one become the one you decided on?

RH: Honestly, I didn’t name the book… that was courtesy of my friend Jen Hatmaker. I was trying to explain to her what I wanted to say and I kept throwing out lines like, “Girl, get up off the floor. Girl, stop crying…” and all of the sudden she interrupted with “Girl, wash your face,” with her great Texas accent and it was so perfect, I knew that was the title. I also love the symbolism of washing your tears away and starting fresh.

BookTrib: What’s the number one thing you wish you had known in your early twenties?

RH: That I didn’t need to change myself to fit into anyone else’s ideals; that who I am (or who you are) is worthy and enough just as is. I wasted so many years trying to be a certain kind of woman, and the joy and fulfillment in my life has truly come in the last half decade of being comfortable in my own skin.

BookTrib: You have so many great tips and advice for people – is there anything you wanted to include but didn’t make it in?

RH: Yes, I’m writing it into the next book!

BookTrib: Finally, just for fun, what is a book that you wish you had written?

RHL Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. As a book nerd it’s hard for me to choose just one, but I’m going to go with that one. It’s the most intelligently written paranormal love story I’ve ever seen AND she also incorporated time travel in the second book. Can you imagine the skill required to world build like that?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Image courtesy of amazon.com

Rachel Hollis is a best selling author, TV personality, in-demand speaker, and founder and CEO of Chic Media, the foremost authority on premium digital content for women. Named one of Inc. Magazine’s “Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30,” Rachel uses her infectious energy to empower women to take control of their lives and pursue their passions without fear. Motivational, inspirational, and always approachable, Rachel’s tell-it-like-it-is attitude is a refreshing approach that allows her to authentically connect with millions of women around the world. Rachel has worked with top brands including Walmart, Disney Junior, JCPenney, Rubbermaid, Sprint, and Keurig to create innovative and compelling content for Chic Media’s award-winning women’s lifestyle blog. Rachel resides in Los Angeles with her husband and four children.

Rachel Fogle De Souza was born and raised in Connecticut, and traveled extensively throughout Europe, parts of Asia, and the United States, before attending college at the University of California, Davis, where she received a B.A. in Comparative Literature, with a double minor in Women, Gender and Sexualities studies, and Middle Eastern/South Asian studies. When she's not writing, she's reading, boxing, or thinking about traveling.